The Morning Benders on Mornings and Who They're Excited to See at Outside Lands

Morning Benders make such delightful indie pop: may the Berkeley band always live in a land of lollipop licks, sweet-as-honey harmonies, and dulcet hooks, all in full, gorgeous flower on the outfit’s 2008 album, Talking Through Tin Cans. I checked in with lead Bender Chris Chu via e-mail on the occasion of the combo’s upcoming Outside Lands date.

Q: What's been going on with Morning Benders?

Chris Chu: We are busy making a new album. It's called Big Echo. We also just went overseas to do some shows in London and a few festivals in Europe. That was amazing.

Q: By the way, how have mornings been treating you (and would you say the band consists of "morning people")?

CC: I'm definitely a morning person. Ideally I'd like to go to bed and wake up with the sun, but that's a little unrealistic considering my roommates' and girlfriend's schedule. But I like to wake up at 8 a.m. and get the day started right, fo’ sho.

Q: You're working on the new record with Chris Taylor of Grizzly Bear -- how's that going?

CC: Amazing. Not only has it been a really great collaboration, but Chris is one of the coolest dudes around. I am so proud of this album, and I can't wait for people to hear it.

Q: Can you promise that the new disc will have as much perfect pop on it as the debut album?

CC: Yes! Perfect (for what it is) pop.

Q: What do you have planned for the Outside Lands set?

CC: We gonna hit you with the new jams and the oldies but goodies. KEARTH meets KISS FM.

Q: It’s an early afternoon show at Outside Lands -- how do you like those? And how do you get people worked up and in a Morning Benders frame of mind at that early hour?

CC: We've played a couple other festivals at that time slot, and it actually turns out being a lot of fun. You can't expect it to be going off like a packed club at midnight, but it has a certain laid-back charm that i find really enjoyable.

Q: Are you looking forward to seeing any other bands or artists at Outside Lands?

CC: I really want to see Deerhunter. I'm also trying to catch the Dodos and Raphael Saadiq. Oh, and Os Mutantes!

Q: You've been playing a lot of fests. How do they compare to smaller, more intimate shows?

CC: Apples and oranges. I love it all!!

Q: What's next?

CC: Big Echo in 2010 -- and then the end of the Mayan calendar in 2012.